


Everyone Should Have Someone Looking Out For Them

by tehfanglyfish



Series: Merthur Week 2020 [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Dorks in Love, Earning A Degree Is Hard, Established Relationship, Even Harder If You Wake Up 1500 Years In The Present, It's Not Even A Good Title, M/M, Modern Era, Once and Future King, Post-Canon, Sometimes You Just Have To Say Fuck It, Still Protecting The People, Supportive Merlin, This Would Have Been Up Half An Hour Sooner If I Didn't Need A Damn Title, Titles are hard, in his own way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28241457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehfanglyfish/pseuds/tehfanglyfish
Summary: Completing his degree leaves Arthur thinking about the past, the present, and Merlin.Written for Merthur Week 2020 Day 2: “I’m so proud of you.” + Established relationship
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merthur Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2068728
Comments: 21
Kudos: 103
Collections: Merthur Week 2020





	Everyone Should Have Someone Looking Out For Them

**Author's Note:**

> First, again I must offer major thanks to the mods for hosting this fest! It really is one of the brightest parts of 2020 for me.
> 
> I almost never write modern era, but here we are again, two days in a row. 
> 
> As a friendly reminder, this is a strictly for fun, no profit, no copyright infringement kind of endeavor. Do not repost, thank you kindly.

“I’m so proud of you.”

Arthur heard Merlin’s voice, but didn’t reply, too lost in reading and rereading the words on his laptop screen, not quite believing what they said. He’d known this day was coming in theory, but to actually see the official confirmation was more overwhelming than he’d anticipated.

“I told you that you could do it,” Merlin continued, wrapping his arms around Arthur from behind.

“You’d say that no matter what, even if it was a lie. I remember what you told me about Excalibur stuck in that stone, that only a true king of Camelot could pull it out.”

“And how was that a lie?”

“It was your magic controlling the stone, Merlin. It had nothing to do with me.”

“Wrong. It had everything to do with you because you _were_ Camelot’s true king – you just needed some help realizing it. Besides, it’s not like I would have let anyone else retrieve it. Not even a pretty usurper offering me a competitive benefits package.”

“Are you saying I’m not pretty?”

“No,” Merlin murmured against his ear, “you’re gorgeous.”

On any other day Merlin’s warm breath on his skin would have been enough to make Arthur forget everything else and pull Merlin into his arms. Today was different.

“This, though, is all you.” Merlin gestured at Arthur’s online transcript pulled up on the screen, leaning forward to press against Arthur’s back. “I had nothing to do with it.”

“That’s not true. You dragged me out of that lake, brought me into your home…”

“ _Our_ home.”

“…taught me about the modern world, endured the hell of giving me typing lessons, suggested I enroll in a university course, helped me forge some documents to cover my complicated past, brewed me countless pots of coffee… Let’s see… What else?”

“Kissed you quiet when you wouldn’t shut up with self-doubt.”

“I rather liked it when you did that,” Arthur blushed. “In all seriousness, though, there’s no way I could have completed my degree without you.”

“Arthur, there are two things I know with certainty. The first is that I love you. The second is that you would without a doubt have finished this on your own. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so determined, not even when you were king.”

“I didn’t have to work for things when I was king.”

“And you accuse me of not telling the truth,” Merlin sighed. “That’s the biggest lie I think I’ve ever heard, and you are on the verge of being in deep trouble.”

“Going to punish me, are you?” Arthur couldn’t resist the urge to flirt, not when Merlin made it so easy. “Maybe you could do that thing where you pin me down and…”

“Definitely not, you shameless clotpole! You’d like it too much.”

“Are these kisses my punishment? Because they’re kind of having the opposite effect.”

“Shut up. We were talking about your degree. Which, it seems I need to remind you, you have finished. With honors.”

“We _were_ talking about that until you started using your mouth to… Ah! Teeth.”

The angle made it difficult to swat Merlin away from his earlobe, but Arthur tried his best.

“I do have one question,” Merlin said, withdrawing. “Why social work?”

“Why not? There’s nothing wrong with social work.” Arthur knew there was no malice in Merlin’s question. He had no reason to feel defensive, and yet he did.

“I know there’s nothing wrong with it. The world would be a much better place if more people pursued social work. It just wasn’t what I thought you’d pick when you first began thinking about university.”

“And what program did you think I’d choose?”

“I don’t know. Law, policing, exercise science. Something…”

“More in line with a knightly king? I thought about it. Especially exercise science, if we’re being honest. But…”

Why was this so hard? Arthur had always trusted Merlin, both at Camelot and now in this modern life that they shared. And yet the words seemed to catch in his throat.

“It’s alright,” Merlin said, his arms tightening around Arthur’s waist. “You don’t have to explain if you don’t want to. I was only curious.”

“No, it’s just…” Arthur inhaled deeply, reaching for Merlin’s hand to steady him. “I’ve had a lot of time to think, here in this new life with you. About the past, about how I got here. Not just with the Sidhe, I mean, but with Morgana. Part of me wondered why she got so angry, why she turned against us with such violence. Was it something I’d done or…”

“Of course not! What happened with Morgana was not your fault, Arthur, never.” Merlin’s fingers squeezed his.

“I know. And while this will sound obvious to you because I know how you felt about him, I realized that the problem was my father.”

“I don’t want to say I told you so…” It was playful, soft banter making it a little easier to talk about difficult realizations.

“Then don’t,” Arthur shot back, hoping he didn’t sound too harsh. “It occurred to me that not only was he unfit to rule, he was unfit to be a father. There was so much wrong with how he treated Morgana.”

“And you,” Merlin added softly. He wasn’t wrong but Arthur didn’t think he could handle that conversation tonight.

“You saw some of it,” Arthur continued, “but not all. You weren’t there when she first arrived. Anyway, when I was reading through course descriptions, I thought about how even though there’s no way for me to save Morgana in the past, maybe now, I could make sure that other children in bad situations get the support and protection they need. Everyone should have someone looking out for them.”

Like you look out for me, Arthur thought.

“You’re going to be brilliant at it,” Merlin whispered, resting his forehead against Arthur’s shoulder.

Taking advantage of the privacy it gave him, Arthur brushed away some inconvenient tears. Gods, he was lucky. Merlin could say what he wanted, but Arthur knew there was so much he’d never have been able to do without Merlin there. Unconditional love was its own form of powerful magic.

“Well, now you know,” he said, trying and failing at sounding composed.

“Thank you for telling me. I know it wasn’t easy.” There was the soft press of lips against Arthur’s neck. “But that’s enough dwelling on the past for one night. You, Arthur Pendragon, have not only completed your degree with honors, but you did so having to master the modern world while studying. That is an epic feat of strength if I’ve ever seen one and it should be celebrated. Immediately. Let me grab my shoes and we can start with dinner out.”

As Merlin tried to step away, Arthur clung to his hand, feeling far too vulnerable to face the general public.

“Actually… would it be alright if we stayed in? We can order, but… I think I’d much rather spend the night under the blankets with you.”

Merlin gently withdrew his hand from Arthur’s so he could pull up the website for delivery. “That sounds perfect. I can’t think of any place I’d rather be.”


End file.
